WPL: Mooney’s 96 helps Giants crush UP

Beth Mooney smashed an unbeaten 96 as an all-round Gujarat Giants thrashed UP Warriorz by 81 runs in a one-sided Women’s Premier League match here on Monday.

Mooney missed out on what could have been the first century for any player this WPL season but her 59-ball unbeaten knock powered Gujarat Giants to a formidable 186/5, against which the hosts crumbled without any resistance.

Chasing a target of 187, UPW could only make 105 from 17.1 overs as the Giants climbed up from the fifth spot to the second in the points table. UPW, who were placed third before the game, are now fifth.

UP Warriorz slipped to 36/5 in the eighth over following a disastrous start and none of their batters could put up any resistance against the Giants’ bowlers, who wreaked havoc on an under-pressure batting line-up.

Deandra Dottin (2/14) began with two wickets in the opening over, dismissing Kiran Navgire (0) and Georgia Voll (0), while Kashvee Gautam (3/11), Meghna Singh (1/21), Tanuja Kanwar (3/17) and Ashleigh Gardner (1/9) chipped in with vital breakthroughs.

UP Warriorz’s top order was found struggling against the early movement with the new ball as lack of sound judgement and technique landed them in trouble, which was followed by the absence of a fightback from the middle order when the conditions had become relatively easier.

Grace Harris struck three fours to make 25 off 30 balls and she was the only specialist batter from her side to be among runs.

Earlier, Mooney cracked as many as 17 boundaries in her innings. The left-handed Australian and India’s Harleen Deol (45) added 101 runs for the second wicket off 68 balls.

Sophie Ecclestone (2/34) bowled a crucial spell for UP Warriorz in their first match at the Ekana Stadium.

“I think we’re really lucky in this team. We’ve got a couple of left-handers in the top order, so having left and right throughout the innings really helps, especially when there’s a few different types of spinners in the opposing team,” Player of the Match Mooney said.

Brief scores: Gujarat Giants: 186/5 (Mooney 96*, Deol 45; Ecclestone 2/34); UP Warriorz: 105 (Henry 28, Harris 25; Gautam 3/11, Kanwar 3/17, Dottin 2/14).